Memorial Day weekend means Balticon, baby

Balticon is nearly afoot. It is a thing of glory and excellence, and you must go. Look at Jared – he’s going, even with shattered and mending bones. I will be around and doing all manner of things, like so:

Hard Science for Beginners, Fri 7pm – In which I, with other science-types, discuss why one should not begin with soft science.

Meet the Scientists Social, Fri 10pm – There will be SCIENCE in the air. And food. What more do you need? Really?

Live Escape Pod, Sat 10am – Balticon’s Guest of Honor is author Charlie Stross, and Steve Eley has put together a live cast recording of Stross’s story Rogue Farm. I will be playing someone who says wizened things while drinking a pint of beer. Ahh, true to life characters…

Live Aliens You Will Meet, Sat 3pm – Puppet aliens dueling in song win the coveted Intergalactic Idol crown! That is all.

Live Mister Adventure, Sat 10pm – Another pulp tale of superheroic derring-do! These are doubly fun at Balticon due to the sheer volume of voice (heh) talent available.

What’s Your Vector? Lyme and Related Diseases, Sun 4pm – It’s May in Baltimore, and that means Lyme Disease season is beginning. Join me as I sort through some of the misconceptions, myths, and uncertainties surrounding this tick-borne bug. Also, because it’s in context, I will finally be discussing syphilis in a con talk! And some of you know what great joy that brings me… 😉

Live Vintage Gamer, Sun 10pm – Jim brings the excellent Vintage Gamer show to Balticon for it’s first ever live video recording, with myself as one of the guests! Vintage games will be shown and discussed, musical interludes will be performed, and… there just may be a gaming competition. I’ll need my scrubs…

Apart from the above events I’m directly involved in, the con schedule is bursting with other awesome panels, readings, and performances – the full pocket program can be found here. Balticon 43 is May 22-25 at the Marriott Hunt Valley Inn, and lives online here. You must go, and say hello when you do.